USGS: Magma Rising In Mount St. Helens Volcano

Magma rising in Mount St. Helens volcano, says USGS (Ice Age Now, May 15, 2014):

No sign of impending eruption – Crater Glacier growing rapidly


“The magma reservoir beneath Mount St. Helens has been slowly re-pressurizing since 2008,” the U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement on April 30, 2014. “It is likely that re-pressurization is caused by (the) arrival of a small amount of additional magma 4 to 8 km (2.5 to 5 miles) beneath the surface.”

The USGS said this is to be expected with an active volcano and does not indicate “the volcano is likely to erupt anytime soon.”

When Mount St. Helens, a volcano in Washington State, erupted on May 18, 1980, it crushed entire forests and altered local river systems.


What this article doesn’t mention


What this article doesn’t mention, is that that eruption also melted the glaciers at the top of the mountain sending a deadly slurry of ice, mud, huge trees, bulldozers, and anything else in the way, in a mad rush down the Toutle River.

At the time of the 1980 eruption, 11 named glaciers radiated down the flanks of the volcano along with two small unnamed glaciers and numerous perennial snowfields, according to the USGS. The largest glaciers extended about 2.5 (1.5 mi) from the ice-filled summit crater. The cataclysmic landslide and eruption removed about 70% of the glacier mass.

A new glacier – now named Crater Glacier – immediately began forming on Mount St Helens.

Although news reports somehow fail to mention this, Crater Glacier grew very rapidly.

Ten years ago, in 2004, Crater Glacier already contained more ice than before the 1980 eruption.

Crater Glacier continues to grow and advance

Today, the glacier is still growing, albeit more slowly. “The thickness of the glacier continues to increase at the rate of 15 ft (5 m) per year,[3] ” according to the latest studies.

Not only is Crater Glacier growing, it is also advancing. “The glacier continues to advance at 3 ft (1 m) per day.[3][9]”  

http://kxl.com/2014/04/30/usgs-says-mt-st-helens-magma-re-pressurizing/

http://news.yahoo.com/magma-rising-washington-states-mount-st-helens-volcano-191116445.html
Thanks to Jack Hydrazine and Andrew Stranglen for these links

See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crater_Glacier

See also:
http://www.iceagenow.com/Mount_St_Helens.htm

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